Pursuant
to
Starfleet
Exploration Directives 1015.9 & 1020.16, Starfleet Defense
Directives 200.0,
197.5 & 197.6, and Federation Security Council General Policy,
the following
objectives have been established for an Intrepid Class Starship:

1. Provide
autonomous capability for full execution of Federation defensive,
cultural,
scientific, and explorative policy in deep space or border territory.
2. Replace the Springfield class in certain frontline, light
exploration duties.
3. Provide a platform for extended scientific survey and scouting
missions.
4. Serve as a frontline support vehicle during emergencies and a
platform for
the extension of Federation diplomacy and policy.
5. Provide non-critical functions such as transport of personnel and
cargo when
necessary, extended aid, and short-range patrol.

Editor's
Note: History written by Kurt Goring - based on
information found in
Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek Technical
Manual, Star
Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, Star Trek: Deep Space 9
Technical
Manual, and Star Trek: The Magazine. The style of the history is based
on
histories presented in the Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology
by Stan
Goldstein, Fred Goldstein, and Rick Sternbach. Please keep in
mind that this is
a history developed based on canon information presented in various
sources and
filled in with logical conjecture.

From
stem to
stern, the
Intrepid class is one of the most advanced
starships in Starfleet. The
class employs a new warp core, variable geometry warp nacelles, and was
the
first to field both bio-neural gelpaks and the Emergency Medical
Hologram
system.

Nearly
three-hundred-fifty meters long, the Intrepid class is built sleek and
long,
sporting the fastest top speed on record for a Starfleet vessel with
the
exception of the new Sovereign class and the ground-breaking Prometheus
class in
field trials currently. The tilting, wing-like nacelles can shift
microns in
their positions, emitting minutely adjustable warp fields that are more
efficient and safer when traveling in subspace. This, combined with new
verterion manufacturing and the APD-01 Warp Core, makes it’s
propulsion systems
super-advanced.

The
class serves multiple functions based on its load out, as well as size.
An
Intrepid could be seen on patrol or escort duty as easily as long-range
exploration or survey. State of the art computers give it unprecedented
storage
capacity, access speed, and rigor conditioning. This, combined with a
wide array
of sensors covering a large amount of the exposed surface, makes the
Intrepid
class a premier ship of the line for Starfleet’s scientific
endeavors.

Fast,
agile, and well armed, these science ships are among the more capable
multi-role
platforms when faced with combat situations. Advanced shielding and
Type-X
phaser arrays equip it admirably, with several representatives of the
class
serving during the Dominion War with amazing success.

Perhaps the most
visible example of the superior nature of the Intrepid
class is
one of its first members. Third of it’s class, the USS
Voyager made it
across the Delta Quadrant aided by it’s own technology to a
huge degree. The
data returned by its crew has placed it permanently in the pantheon of
most
effective ship classes in Starfleet history.

By
most
accounts, the
Intrepid class Project was begun July 4th 2361, the day Starfleet
Admiral Nobuo
Imagawa, speaking at a gathering of Utopia Planitia Yard technical
staff, called
for the creation of a new family of fast interstellar vessels. By this
date, the Galaxy class was in the final stages of
development, but even as
Starfleet pressed for large, multi-mission vessels, the need for
smaller vessels
was becoming apparent.

While
the USS
Galaxy
NX-70637, USS Yamato NCC-71807, and USS
Enterprise NCC-1701-D
underwent final systems installations and testing, Admiral Imagawa
spoke of the
need for many different types of starships, shuttles, and support
facilities to
meet the growing need of crisis points in the galaxy.

Among
the
ship types
outlines in the preliminary Starfleet requirement briefs was a fast,
powerful,
‘troubleshooter’ initially listed as Planform
SV-65. This ship concept, created
in basic form by the combined structures groups of McKinley Spacedock
and Utopia
Planitia Yards, would need to maintain a low-cruise factor of 7.75 for
16 days,
a high-cruise warp of 9.2 for 2.25 days, and a dash-cruise speed of
Warp 9.975
for 12.65 hours. It would support a crew of 223, would have swappable
interior
pressurized modules, and would mount defensive weaponry at least equal
to the
Galaxy-class phasers and photon torpedoes.

A
wide
variety of
primary mission types for the new ship – from threat-force
point interception
and large battle group support to covert intelligence gathering
– was pared down
to space defensive combat to protect Starfleet and Federation assets,
and a
continued scientific exploration during patrol intervals (C. Forrester,
ASDB
Journal, 05Nov2361)

Materials
processing,
fabrication techniques, and vessel maintenance cycles were evolved
directly from
those applied to the Excelsior, Ambassador and Galaxy classes.

By
Stardate
38956.00,
eight computer warp stress and volumetric studies yielded the first
review
configuration, SV-65H. This vessel featured a 61” elliptical
saucer section
integrated with engineering hull, fixed pylons and nacelles, and a
large
ejectable bridge module to augment the standard lifeboats. No saucer
separation
capability was required.

On
January
1st 2362,
the SV-65 program was officially titled the Intrepid class Project.
Continued
studies of warp fields and their interaction with the space and
subspace
environments led to six further planform modifications, with data on
hull
volumetrics, internal volume usage, and simulated warp and impulse
performance
being analyzed by the Advanced Starship Design Bureau (ASDB) for
optimal mission
efficiency. By the end of 2363, additional performance data from the
USS
Enterprise and USS Yamato shakedown flights had been incorporated into
the
Intrepid warp propulsion simulations.

Warp
Systems:
In August 2364, an improved flight performance and mass-reduction plan
was
implemented, dropping the Intrepid design from 838,000 to 790,000
metric tons.
The move required a change in warp reactor type from a heavier
dilithium focus
chamber to a dilithium-lined swirl chamber.

The
design of
reactor
had originally been applied to the Constitution-class starships such as
the USS
Enterprise NCC-1701, and the return to the swirl chamber allowed
Starfleet
engineers an opportunity to increase structural integrity and power
output.

The
reactor’s magnetic
constrictors, matter and antimatter injectors, and plasma transfer
conduits (PTCs)
were designed to be assembled by computer-controlled formers and gamma
welders.

Advances
in
warp plasma
containment and transport allowed for a hinged pylon. This modification
was
intended to give the ship a better warp factor-to-reactant usage ratio.
It later
emerged that it had the fortunate by-product of eliminating the kind of
spatial
damage caused by earlier designs of warp engine that had been uncovered
by Dr.
Rabal and Serova (Rabal, Journal of Warp Dynamics Vol. 1137).

The
complete
warp core
was designed from the outset to be ejectable in case of an emergency.
Components
for a second core were stored within the engineering hull, though
assembly and
flight testing by a crew in deep space could take up to a week.

Second
Review:
The second review of the hull configuration was completed in February
2366. Warp
field stresses and space environment concerns lead to a more
streamlined
primary hull and nacelles which were designed to reduce interstellar
drag.

The
forward
auxiliary
deflector remained in the second review hull, through warp and impulse
performance tests suggested that a thinner, edge-mounted unit might
reduce the
Particles and Field Drag Index (PFDI) from 0.0033 to 0.0014. The larger
figure
was within tolerances and the deflector was integrated into the hull
with minor
rerouting of EPS and ODN conduits and associated controller hardware.

Design
Freeze:
The third review froze the Intrepid configuration on October 2367, with
initial
fabrication orders for seven vessels.

Computer,
human, and
cetacean analysis recommended changes to the primary hull on the
forward edge,
Deck 2 surface contours, and aft attachment blends to the engineering
hull, all
as a result of warp efficiency simulations.

Structures
and systems
that were not fully integrated by the third review were accepted as
yard
changes, and upgrades would be applied to each ship as it was
constructed.

Final
systems
improvements designed and approved for installation by April 2368
included
phasers, lifeboats, RCS thruster quads, gravity generators,
Multi-directional
Sensor Array (MSA), and the AeroShuttle.

Vessel
frame
IC-103,
USS Voyager NCC-74656, was the first ship to receive all hardware as
original
installations, after testbed results were gathered from its older
Spacedock
siblings (P. Bryce, Starfleet Construction Proceedings, Data Index
RI-456/32/456).

Armaments:
It is interesting to note that defensive weapon deployments on the
Intrepid
pathfinder design fluctuated over a wide range of types and numbers of
devices,
as Starfleet planners wrestled with decisions over mission types, time
between
starbase resupply opportunities, and suitability to particular weapons
classes
to available power systems and launcher hardware.

Five
phaser
emitters
–two dorsal, to ventral, one ventral lower – and
two forward photon torpedo
launchers grew to 13 phaser emitters –adding two dorsal aft,
two ventral aft,
two pylon, two dorsal fantail – and four photon torpedo
launchers. The
additional aft-firing tubes and increased phaser coverage insured that
the
Intrepid class could counter most known and predicted threat vessels of
similar
size and mass, in battle group, escorted, or solitary operation
scenarios.

Lifeboats
were enlarged
slightly to accommodate six crew, up from the original four. The
relatively
small volume lost within the starship could also be used to give each
lifeboat
an operating lifetime of almost 16 months, and a total impulse range of
0.25
light-years. Jettisonable hatches were replaced by hinged covers in the
event
that shipboard emergencies were averted following pod launch.

Improved
communications
and life-support systems could be shared through the docking of
multiple
lifeboats in ‘gaggle mode’, first proven with the
Galaxy class.

EPS
System
Upgrades:
The RCS maneuvering thrusters and gravity generators shared key
electro-plasma
system (EPS) technology for both the production and distribution of
high-energy
plasma. The RCS microfusion reactors and thruster nozzles relied on
redundant
sets of magnetic valves and polished felinium tritonide conduits to
precisely
rotate Voyager and drive it at low velocities.

These
same
conduits and
valves were designed into the new gravity plating, a carpet of
thousands of
miniaturized graviton generators, each measuring 3.23 cm across. The
hexagonal
valves responded to plasma pressure variations, averaging out power
distribution, and allowing for up to 10 percent generator failure
without a
perceptible change in local gravity. In earlier starships, larger and
fewer
graviton devices had occasionally produced unpleasant balance and minor
nausea
effect, particularly in rookie crewmembers.

Sensor
Systems:The
Multi-directional Sensor Array was actually 14 separate arrays that
were
synchronized with dedicated Optical Data Network (ODN) connections, the
main and
auxiliary computer cores and processing commands that synthesized a
total view
of the space environment 6500 times per second. The MSA, while
short-range,
worked in concert with the navigational deflector and long-range sensor
instruments.

The
AeroShuttle was the
only upgraded component to the Intrepid class that remained in the
development
cycle long after the other major systems had been frozen and released
for
fabrication and assembly. Based on the existing Starfleet runabout
platform, the
AeroShuttle was given a 450 percent increase in atmospheric flight and
hover
endurance over standard shuttlecraft. This was accomplished through the
use of
hybrid microfusion and EM driven airflow coil engines.
Although the AeroShuttle
spaceframe and basic systems were completed on Stardate 46875.3, final
outfitting of mission-specific hardware was delayed until simulations
and flight
testing with the USS Intrepid could be completed.

All
seven
Intrepid
class in the initial procurement were constructed at the Utopia
Planitia Yards
in Mars orbit, minus their active and backup warp cores, and also
lacking their
final outer surface plating and distinctive coloration. Each vessel
crossed the
distance from Mars to Earth Station McKinley under low impulse,
recording
systems performance data on the way.

Commissioning
Date:
Voyager’s core installation took place on Stardate 47834.6,
fast-tracked to
follow the Intrepid and Bellerephon by only three months. With assembly
and
internal system checks completed, the official launching ceremony of
the USS
Voyager occurred at Earth Station McKinley on Stardate 48038.5 (January
14th
2371) at 1222 hours GMT.

A
15-day
series of
impulse tests, which verified the integrity of the vessel and systems
operation
at sublight velocities, culminated in Voyager accelerating to Warp 1.03
with the USS Hauck flying formation for
engineering support and emergency backup.
Three weeks of warp flight tests added to the Intrepid class knowledge
base and
insured that Voyager’s computer cores and bio-neural gel
packs could receive
operational programming loads for deployment in the Alpha Quadrant.

USS
Voyager,
under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway, received her first patrol
assignment on Stardate 48183.5. All in-flight systems data continued to
be
transmitted to Starfleet Command for evaluation along a range of
velocities from
inertial stop to Warp 9.986 and for distances up to 45 light-years,
with
subspace comm relays handling the encrypted telemetry loop. Subsequent
operations validated the effectiveness of the class design and upgrades
from
previous Starfleet vessels.

Voyager
would
provide
only a few months of usable data before its disappearance in the Delta
Quadrant.
However, the stored information and lessons learned by its crew proved
invaluable upon her return, a testament to the designers and engineers
who stood
upon the shoulders of giants to build her.

Layout:
Ovoid
layout typical of
most Federation starships, the Intrepid class Bridge sports some of the
most
advanced technology and command-capabilities.

Rearmost,
the
Intrepid
Bridge is served by a large bank of consoles and data-readout screens.
Center of
that area is the Master Systems Display. From the MSD, all of the crew
can get a
compressed view of the ship and major systems for on-the-fly analysis.
Control
consoles flank the MSD on either side, running everything from incoming
sensor
data, to communications and auxiliary systems control.

Starboard
of
the
information center, just past the starboard side turbolift, is the
Chief
Tactical Officer’s console. Behind the forward-facing console
is a larger area,
with bigger displays and additional control infrastructure. This area
is
maintained mostly for internal security and manned by the Chief
Tactical
Officer’s assistant or similar. In typical configuration, the
Chief Tactical
Officer is in primary control of external security and weapons systems
with the
sister console configured for more sensor work and management of
internal
security. Tactical console usage is extremely limited; only Beta-2
Tactical
clearance personnel can use it, and the user must input special codes
to even
get access to the massive amounts of computer links that give tactical
nearly
limitless information at the ship's disposal. For full access, the
console's
security subsystem can run a battery of scans on the user, including
thermal,
biological, retinal, and vocal tests. If all of these are passed, full
access to
the ship's offensive and defensive systems is made available.

Across
from
the
tactical kiosk is the Operations Manager’s post. From there,
he or she has
access to and/or control over ship’s internal systems, power
flow, sensor data,
communications, and transporter control. As one of the most important
positions
at any one time, the Operations kiosk is always manned.

The
two
turbolifts on
the bridge can handle normal transit around the ship. Also, an
emergency ladder
connects the bridge to Deck Three. Forward of the upper ship operations
areas
are doorways on port and starboard sides of the bridge. To port, access
to the
briefing room is provided. Inside is a large table for seating a
minimum of
eight officers, as well as displays, and a large set of viewports for
vista.
Starboard access leads to the Captain’s Ready Room. As the
captain’s personal
office, many command decisions are made there instead of the bridge.

Directly
forward of the
command area and sunken down by two steps is the Conn. From this
position, the
Flight Control Officer serves as helmsman and navigator for the
Intrepid class.
The Conn has access to a wide array of ship systems, including
Engineering data
as the Chief of Helm often serves as a bridge liaison to Engineering.

To
the right
of the
Conn sits the Chief Engineer. Though far better served in Main
Engineering, the
Engineer is often needed on the bridge to provide analysis and control
‘on
site’, as it were. This location is manned by a single
officer, with wraparound
consoles and access to almost all ship controls. . Typical
configuration keeps a
scaled down version of the master systems display keyed to display
problems
visually, as well as dedicated screens showing the status of the warp
drive and
structural integrity systems.

Directly
opposite sits
the Chief Science Officer in a similar console. It has access to all
science,
navigational, sensor, and communications systems. It can be configured
to
operate in tandem with other consoles, although security links and all
other
non-science data are restricted to the main console.

Center
of the
bridge is
the command chairs – one each for the Captain and First
Officer. The first
officer’s chair is on the left, when facing forward, and
includes screens for
reviewing ship status reports on the fly. On the right, is the
Captain’s chair.
Both face the viewscreen directly behind the unified Helm.

Two
pods are
reserved
for the top four officers in the chain of command on the vessel because
they are
the last four to leave the ship. These are located on behind the main
bridge
through an access way. As the number of experienced Captains dwindles
in
Starfleet, the notion of a Captain going down with his ship has been
abolished.
If the ship is abandoned, the top four officers in the chain of command
will
wait until everyone else is off the ship, opt to arm the auto-Destruct
(not
always necessary, but there if needed), and then leave in the two
escape pods.
Each pod can support two people for 72 hours in space, and has a
maximum speed
of half impulse.

Located
on
Deck 11,
Main Engineering is the ‘heart’ of the ship,
comparable to the bridge as
‘brain’. It has access to almost all systems aboard
the starship, and manages
repairs, power flow, and general maintenance.

Entrance
to
Main
Engineering is provided by two large blast doors that can be closed
incase of
internal or external security issues. Just inside of that is an
observation area
where technicians monitor various systems of the ship.

Farther
in
from
observation area is the warp core and main control systems
–the path to which is
provided by removable floor paneling hiding additional systems but
providing
easy and fast access to them. A red guardrail circles the APD-01 Warp
Core from
Mercurion Inova. Faint blue lights display the reaction along the
entire length
of the core – an advancement that surpasses that of its
contemporaries and paved
the way to safer, more fuel efficient, and environmentally responsible
engines.

Off
to the
port side of
Main Engineering is the Chief Engineer’s Office, which is
equipped with a
diagnostics table, assembly and repair equipment, a small replicator,
and a
personal use console with built-in private viewscreen.

On
Starboard,
there is
an open work area for projects, long-term assignments, and situational
analysis.

A
second tier
rings the
second level of Main Engineering. A small single-person elevator, as
well as a
ladder on the opposite end, provides access to this catwalk.

Access
to the
Jefferies
Tubes is provided in various places on both the First and Second Tier
of Main
Engineering.

Typical crew complement in Main Engineering consists of three engineers
and nine
technicians of various grades. During Red or Yellow Alert, that number
is
increased.

This
multi-room
department is located in a restricted area on Deck 14. Within it are
the
entrances to the phaser range, the auxiliary weapon control room and to
the
Ship's Armory, as well as the office of the Chief of Security.

Security
Office:
The Chief of Security’s office is decorated to the officer's
preference. It
contains a work area, a personal viewscreen, a computer display, and a
replicator.

Brig:
Located on Deck 15, the brig is a restricted access area whose only
entrance is
from within the Security Department on Deck 14. The Intrepid
class
vessel has four double occupancy cells, which contain beds, a
retractable table
and chairs, a water dispenser, and sanitary facilities. The cells are
secured
with a level-10 forcefield emitter built into each doorway.

Internal
Forcefields:
Controlled from the bridge or from the Security office on Deck 14,
forcefields
can be activated throughout the ship, effectively sealing off sections
of the
hallway from the remainder of the vessel.

Internal
Sensors:
Used to monitor the internal security of the ship. They can identify
the
location of specific crewmembers that are wearing their commbadge. They
can be
used to determine the general location of any person on board the ship,
based on
the entry of specific variables by the Tactical officer.

Ship's
Armory:
This room is located in a restricted area on Deck 14 and is under
constant
guard. The room is sealed with a level 10 forcefield and can only be
accessed by
personnel with Level-4 or above security clearance granted by the
Command staff
or Chief of Security. Inside the armory is a work area for maintenance
and
repair of phasers as well as multiple sealed weapons lockers. The Intrepid
class starship carries enough type-I and type-II
phasers to arm the entire
crew. Type-III phaser rifle and the new compression phaser rifles are
available
as well, but only in enough numbers to arm approximately 1/3 of the
crew. Heavy
ordnance is available in limited numbers.

Personnel Phasers range in power settings from 1 (Light-Stun) to 16
(Atomize).

Torpedo/Probe
Magazine: These restricted areas on Decks 14 and 15
are for storing unarmed
photon torpedoes and warheads, and science probes I - VI (VII - IX if
mission
dictates). Also stored here are the components for manufacturing new
photon
torpedoes as well as the equipment to put it all together. These rooms
are also
accessed by the loading mechanism for the torpedo launchers.

Phaser
Array
Arrangement:The
dorsal saucer section
is covered by four phaser strips; two of which extend from the aft
curvature,
along the length of the saucer and stop short of the auxiliary
deflector
incision. The aft firing arc is covered by two smaller arrays angled on
the rear
of the saucer section. The relative bottom of the ship is protected by
two
similar arrays as on the dorsal saucer section, extending to the rear
of the
saucer and following the curve to the aux deflector incision. Along
with those
arrays, are two small aft-angled phaser strips similar to the dorsal
aft-fire
strips. Additional protection is provided by a single array
that extends
laterally across the ventral engineering hull just fore of the warpcore
ejection
port. Far-aft strips are provided on the underside of the mobile
nacelle pylons
and under the shuttlebay landing deck on the underside of the ship for
a total
ship’s complement of 13 arrays.

Phaser Array Type:The
Intrepid class
utilizes the Type X array system. The thirteen arrays are all Type-X,
the new
standard emitter. Each array fires a steady beam of phaser energy, and
the
forced-focus emitters discharge the phasers at speeds approaching .986c
(which
works out to about 182,520 miles per second - nearly warp one). The
phaser array
automatically rotates phaser frequency and attempts to lock onto the
frequency
and phase of a threat vehicle's shields for shield penetration.

Phaser
Array
Output:
Each phaser array takes its energy directly from the impulse drive and
auxiliary
fusion generators. Individually, each type X -emitter can only
discharge
approximately 5.1 MW (megawatts). However, several emitters (usually
two) fire
at once in the array during standard firing procedures, resulting in a
discharge
approximately 10.2 MW.

Arrangement:
Four standard torpedo launchers. Two fore, and two aft. Torpedo tubes
one and
two (fore), are located over the main deflector dish in the Stardrive
section.
Aft coverage is handled by a third and fourth torpedo launcher facing
the rear
of the ship in the upper engineering hull near where it meets the
saucer.

Type: Type-6,
Mark-XXV photon torpedo, capable of pattern
firing (sierra,
etc.) as well as independent launch. Independent targeting once
launched from
the ship, detonation on contact unless otherwise directed by the
tactical
officer.

Payload:
The
Intrepid class can carry a maximum of 55 torpedo casings. Of
that
complement, 10 are typically configured as probes with a manufacturing
capacity
to produce 10% more torpedoes with available warheads.

Type:
Symmetrical occilating subspace graviton field. This type of shield is
similar
to those of most other starships. Other than incorporating the now
mandatory
nutational shift in frequency, the shields alter their graviton
polarity to
better deal with more powerful weapons and sophisticated weaponry
(including
Dominion, Breen, and Borg systems).

During
combat, the
shield sends data on what type of weapon is being used on it, and what
frequency
and phase the weapon uses. Once the tactical officer analyzes this, the
shield
can be configured to have the same frequency as the incoming weapon -
but
different nutation. This tactic dramatically increases shield
efficiency.

Output:
There
are 14 shield grids on the Intrepid class and each one generates 157.35
MW,
resulting in total shield strength of 2,202.09 MW, however typical
shield
configuration is 8 emitters with an output of 1,258.8 MW. The power for
the
shields is taken directly from the warp engines and impulse fusion
generators.
If desired, the shields can be augmented by power from the impulse
power plants.
The shields can protect against approximately 42% of the total EM
spectrum
(whereas a Galaxy class Starship's shields can only protect against
about 23%),
made possible by the multi-phase graviton polarity flux technology
incorporated
into the shields.

Range:
The shields, when raised, maintain an average range is 30 meters away
from the
hull.

Number
of
computer
cores: Two.
The
primary computer core
is accessed in the control room on Deck 5 in amidships for maximum
protection.
It covers five decks and extends from Deck 2 to Deck 5. The Auxiliary
core is
located on Deck 10 and extends down to Deck 12, covering three decks.
It is fed
by two sets of redundant EPS conduits as well as primary power.

Type: The AC-15
series computer core is built under contract for the Intrepid class
vessel by Krayne Systems, an independent contractor based on Bynar. The
structure of the computer is similar to that of most other
supercomputing
systems in use by Federation vessels with stack segments extending
through the
ship forming trillions of trillions of connections through the
processing and
storage abilities of modern isolinear chips. Cooling of the isolinear
loop is
accomplished by a regenerative liquid helium loop, which has been refit
to allow
a delayed-venting heat storage unit for "Silent Running.” For
missions,
requirements on the computer core rarely exceed 45-50% of total core
processing
and storage capacity. The rest of the core is utilized for various
scientific,
tactical, or intelligence gathering missions - or to backup data in the
event of
a damaged core.

Bio-Neural Gel Packs:
Referred to typically as BNGs, Bio-Neural Gel Packs are a new
innovation in
shipboard data processing and routing. Mounted at strategic locations
along the
ODN pathways, each BNG consists of an artificial bio-fluid that allows
transmission of neural signals. The heart of the BNG is a packet of
neural
clusters, grown copies of strands similar to those found in the brains
of
sentient beings. These clusters give the ship’s computer
‘instinctive’ data
processing and routing ability as well as allowing the ship’s
computer to
utilize ‘fuzzy logic’ to speed up probability
calculations much as a living,
breathing entity would.

Though a breakthrough
in shipboard technology, the BNG has shown one
liability
in that the biological components can contract contagions and make the
ship
‘sick’.

Acronym for Library
Computer Access
and Retrieval
System, the common user interface of 24th century computer
systems, based on
verbal and graphically enhanced keyboard/display input and output. The
graphical
interface adapts to the task, which is supposed to be performed,
allowing for
maximum ease-of-use. The Intrepid class operates
on LCARS build version
4.5 to account for increases in processor speed and power, limitations
discovered in the field in earlier versions, and increased security.

Access
to all Starfleet
data is highly regulated. A standard set of access levels have been
programmed
into the computer cores of all ships in order to stop any undesired
access to
confidential data.

Security levels are
also variable, and task-specific. Certain areas of
the ship
are restricted to unauthorized personnel, regardless of security level.
Security
levels can also be raised, lowered, or revoked by Command personnel.

Security levels in use
aboard the Intrepid class
are:

Level 10
– Captain and Above

Level 9
– First Officer

Level 8 -
Commander

Level 7
– Lt. Commander

Level 6
– Lieutenant

Level 5
– Lt. Junior Grade

Level 4 -
Ensign

Level 3
– Non-Commissioned Crew

Level 2
– Civilian Personnel

Level 1
– Open Access (Read Only)

Note:
Security Levels beyond current rank can and are bestowed where, when
and to whom
they are necessary.

The
main computer grants access based on a battery of checks to the
individual user,
including face and voice recognition in conjunction with a vocal code
as an
added level of security.

All
Starfleet vessels make
use of a computer program called a Universal Translator that is
employed for
communication among persons who speak different languages. It performs
a pattern
analysis of an unknown language based on a variety of criteria to
create a
translation matrix. The translator is built in the Starfleet badge and
small
receivers are implanted in the ear canal.

The
Universal
Translator matrix aboard Intrepid class starships consists of well over
100,000
languages and increases with every new encounter.

Type:First-Run
Advanced
Propulsion Drive (APD-01) designed by the ASDB and developed by
Mercurion Inova
Inc. This lighter, high-power core utilizes swirl technology instead of
a
reaction chamber. Additional improvements to Plasma Transfer Conduit
technology
makes the drive system energy efficient and allows for the variable
warp
geometry evinced by its maneuverable nacelles. Improved verterion coil
manufacture allows for smaller nacelles producing superior warp
fields.
Information on this Warp Drive can be found in any Starfleet Library or
Omnipedia.

Normal
Cruising Speed:
Warp 7.5

Maximum
Speed:Warp
9.975 for 12 hours

Note: Vessels equipped with the APD-01 ( M/ARA) Drive
System
no longer have the
maximum cruising speed limit of Warp 5 imposed after the discovery of
subspace
damaged caused by high-warp speeds.

Type:
Outfitted with twin fusion-powered Krayne-19 impulse drives mounted on
the aft
section of the nacelle pylons. Built by Krayne Industries, the K-19
drives were
specially designed for the Intrepid class with tolerances built-in for
the
mobile nature of their mounts, as well as variable ethereal vanes for
direction
of hydrogen flow.

Output:
The impulse engine can propel an Intrepid class starship at speeds just
under
.25c, at “Full Impulse” and an upper ceiling of
.80c at three quarters the speed
of light. Generally, Starfleet Vessels are restricted to .25c speeds to
avoid
the more dramatic time dilation effects of higher relativistic speeds.
However,
such restrictions can be overridden at the behest of the
ship’s captain.

A
standard Intrepid class main deflector dish is located in the
engineering hull,
and is located just forward of the primary engineering spaces. Composed
of
molybdenum/duranium mesh panels over a tritanium framework (beneath the
Duranium-Tritanium hull), the dish can be manually moved ten degrees in
any
direction off the ship's Z-axis. The main deflector dish's shield and
sensor
power comes from two graviton polarity generators located on Deck 10,
each
capable of generating 128 MW, which can be fed into two 480
millicochrane
subspace field distortion generators.

Configuration
of the
dish differs from standard, with a setup geared toward high-speed and
balanced
against efficiency. The dual G-P generators are mounted with their own
emitters
that flank the main emitter assembly in the center of the dish.

The
Intrepid class is outfitted with a secondary, or
auxiliary
deflector. Mounted in the
forward section of the saucer, the auxiliary deflector serves as a
backup in
navigation, as well as for additional energy projection. Composed of
molybdenum/duranium
mesh panels over a tritanium framework (beneath the Duranium-Tritanium
hull),
the deflector can be manually moved five degrees in any direction off
the ship's
Z-axis. The main deflector dish's shield and sensor power comes from
two
graviton polarity generators located on Deck Six, each capable of
generating 128
MW, which can be fed into two 480 millicochrane subspace field
distortion
generators.

Type:
Multiphase subspace graviton beam, used for direct manipulation of
objects from
a submicron to a macroscopic level at any relative bearing to the Intrepid
class. Each emitter is directly mounted to the
primary members of the ship's
framework, to lessen the effects of isopiestic subspace shearing,
inertial
potential imbalance, and mechanical stress.

Output:
Each tractor beam emitter is built around three multiphase 15 MW
graviton
polarity sources, each feeding two 475-millicochrane subspace field
amplifiers.
Phase accuracy is within 1.3 arc-seconds per microsecond, which gives
superior
interference pattern control. Each emitter can gain extra power from
the SIF by
means of molybdenum-jacketed wave-guides. The subspace fields generated
around
the beam (when the beam is used) can envelop objects up to 920 meters,
lowering
the local gravitational constant of the universe for the region inside
the field
and making the object much easier to manipulate.

Range:
Effective tractor beam range varies with payload mass and desired
delta-v
(change in relative velocity). Assuming a nominal 15 m/sec-squared
delta-v, the
multiphase tractor emitters can be used with a payload approaching
2,330,000
metric tonnes at less than 2,000 meters. Conversely, the same delta-v
can be
imparted to an object massing about one metric ton at ranges
approaching 30,000
kilometers.

Long
range
and
navigation sensors are located behind the main deflector dish, to avoid
sensor
"ghosts" and other detrimental effects consistent with main deflector
dish
millicochrane static field output. Additional sensors are placed behind
the
auxiliary deflector, allowing the Intrepid class one of the most
refined forward
scanning capabilities of any ship in the fleet. Lateral sensor pallets
are
located around the rim of the entire Starship, providing full coverage
in all
standard scientific fields, but with emphasis in the following areas:

Astronomical
phenomena

Planetary
Analysis

Remote
Life-Form Analysis

EM Scanning

Passive
Neutrino Scanning

Parametric
subspace field stress (a scan to search for cloaked ships)

Thermal
variances

Quasi-stellar
material

Sub-Quantum
Mass Particulates

Each
sensor
pallet (15
in all) can be interchanged and re-calibrated with any other pallet on
the ship.
Warp Current sensor: This is an independent subspace graviton
field-current
scanner, allowing the Intrepid class to track ships at high warp by
locking onto
the eddy currents from the threat ship's warp field, then follow the
currents by
using multi-model image mapping.

The Intrepid class starship is equipped with two high-power science
sensor
pallets in the saucer section, dorsal, aft of the bridge module and
just aft of
the upper, auxiliary deflector. The pallets are unplated for ease of
upgrade and
repair, as well as enhancing sensor acuity.

There
are 12 independent tactical sensors on the Intrepid class. Each sensor
automatically tracks and locks onto incoming hostile vessels and
reports
bearing, aspect, distance, and vulnerability percentage to the tactical
station
on the main bridge. Each tactical sensor is approximately 90% efficient
against
ECM, and can operate fairly well in particle flux nebulae (which has
been
hitherto impossible).

An
advancement in
integrated data processing, the Astrometrics Laboratory brings with it
technological refinements used first aboard the USS Voyager. Served
directly by
the auxiliary computer core, the Astrometrics Lab conceivably has the
largest
single processing potential of any single laboratory aboard ship.
Facilities
include multiple multi-use consoles, control facilities, a large
wraparound
viewscreen and a centrally placed dais with holo emitter.

All
information is
directed to the bridge and can be displayed on any console or the main
viewscreen. When under warp or staffed by demand, the Astrometrics
Laboratory is
manned by one supervising officer and as many as eight subordinates.

There
are 15 science labs on the Intrepid class;
eight non-specific labs
are located on Deck 6 and are easily modified for various scientific
endeavors
including Bio/Chem, and Physics tests and/or experiments –
crews rotate often
among these laboratories. The Chief Science
Officer’s office is attached
to this bank of labs. Astrometrics is located on Deck 8 amidships. Deck
2 serves
as home to the Planetary Development, Geologic Studies,
Languages/Archaeology,
and Biologics Laboratories. On Deck 7, there are housed two of the more
expansive and specialized labs that conduct Atmospheric Physics
experiments,
as well as the more dangerous High-Energy Physics (note:
additional SIF
Field Generators are installed in the bulkheads around this lab).

A
probe is a device that
contains a number of general purpose or mission specific sensors and
can be launched from a starship for closer examination of objects in
space.

There are
nine different classes of probes, which vary in sensor types, power,
and performance ratings. The spacecraft frame of a probe consists of
molded duranium-tritanium and pressure-bonded lufium boronate, with
sensor windows of triple layered transparent aluminum. With a warhead
attached, a probe becomes a photon torpedo. The standard equipment of
all nine types of probes are instruments to detect and analyze all
normal EM and subspace bands, organic and inorganic chemical compounds,
atmospheric constituents, and mechanical force properties. All nine
types are capable of surviving a powered atmospheric entry, but only
three are special designed for aerial maneuvering and soft landing.
These ones can also be used for spatial burying. Many probes can be
real-time controlled and piloted from a starship to investigate an
environment dangerous hostile or otherwise inaccessible for an
away-team.

The nine
standard classes are:

7.6.1 Class
I Sensor Probe:

Range:
2 x
10^5 kilometers

Delta-v
limit: 0.5c

Powerplant:
Vectored deuterium microfusion propulsion

Sensors:
Full
EM/Subspace and interstellar chemistry pallet for in-space applications.

Sickbay:
There is one large sickbay facility located on Deck 5, equipped with
ICU,
Biohazard Support, Radiation Treatment Wards, Surgical Ward, Critical
Care,
Null-Gravity Treatment, Isolation Suites, a Morgue, a Dental Care
Office, the
Chief Medical Officer’s
office
and a load-out of 3 standard biobeds and one surgical bed in the main
ward, ten
more in the treatment area, and a small complement of emergency cots.
Pursuant
to new Medical Protocols, all Medical Facilities are equipped with
holo-emitters
for the usage of the Emergency Medical Hologram System. Additional
holo-emitters
for EMH use are located in Main Engineering and on the Bridge.

Counselor’s Office:
The Counselor’s office is also located on
Deck 5 to assure a more
efficient medical treatment environment. Inside, the usual plain
duranium walls
are softened with an atypical palette outside of the normal Starfleet
gray and
blue. There are no visual sensors in this office and audio recordings
are done
only with the voice code of the Counselor.

General
Overview:
All crew and officers' quarters (with the exception of the
Captain’s quarters on
Deck 3) are located on decks 2, 4, 8, 9 and 13; with special variable
environment quarters on Deck 11 for crew with special comforts.

Individuals
assigned to
an Intrepid class for periods over six months are permitted to
reconfigure their
quarters within hardware, volume, and mass limits. Individuals assigned
for
shorter periods are generally restricted to standard quarters
configuration.

Crew
Quarters: Standard
Living
Quarters are provided for both Starfleet and non-commissioned Officers.
This
includes their families as well, those officers with children are
assigned
larger quarters with viewports.

Crewmen
can
request
that their living quarters be combined to create a single larger
dwelling.

Due
to the
mission
profile of the Intrepid class Vessel, crew
accommodations aboard are
generally more comfortable than other ships of the line.

Officers'
Quarters:
Starfleet personnel from the rank of Ensign up to Commander are given
one set of
quarters to themselves (cohabitation is not required).

These
accommodations
typically include a small bathroom, a bedroom (with standard bed), a
living/work
area, a food replicator, an ultrasonic shower, personal holographic
viewer, and
provisions for pets.

Officers
may
request
that their living quarters be combined to form one large dwelling.

Executive
Quarters:
The Captain and Executive Officer aboard an Intrepid classboth
have special, much larger quarters.

These
quarters are much
more luxurious than any others on the ship, with the exception of the
VIP/Diplomatic Guest quarters. Both the Executive Officer's and the
Captain's
quarters are larger than standard Officers Quarters, and this space
generally
has the following accommodations: a bedroom (with a nice, fluffy bed),
living/work area, bathroom, food replicator, ultrasonic shower,
old-fashioned
water shower, personal holographic viewer, provisions for pets, and
even a null
grav sleeping chamber.

The
Captain’s quarters
are on Deck 3, forward most position, with an expansive view of the bow
of the
ship and beyond.

VIP/Diplomatic Guest
Quarters:
The Intrepid class is a symbol of UFP authority, a
tool in dealing with
other races. Wide-ranging and exploratory as the class’s
mission profile is, the
need for VIP quarters is critical, if not often.

These
quarters are located on Deck 3. These quarters include a bedroom,
spacious
living/work area, personal viewscreen, ultrasonic shower, bathtub/water
shower,
and provisions for pets, food replicator, and a null-grav sleeping
chamber.
These quarters can be immediately converted to class H, K, L, N, and N2
environments. While smaller in size than those facilities
aboard a Galaxy class
or the newer Norway class vessel, they are still far superior in fit
and finish
when compared to Starfleet Officer quarters.

General
Overview:
Many of the Intrepid class’s missions
take extended periods of time far
from the usual niceties of Federation Starbases for R&R; as
such, the ship is
equipped to provide a home away from home for the Crew and their
families.

Holodecks:
There are two medium-sized holodecks aboard the ship. Located on Deck
6, these
Holodecks are proprietary Federation Technology and can comfortably
support up
to 15 people at a time.

Target
Range:
Test of skill is an important form of recreation in many cultures, and
the
Intrepid classprovides a facility
especially for such pursuits. The
facility sports self-healing polymer absorptive targets for a variety
of
projectile and bladed weapons firing and/or tossing. In the rear of the
Target
Range facility is a locked area protected by forcefield in which phased
weapons
firing is done.

The
phaser
range is
also used by security to train ship's personnel in marksmanship. During
training, the holo-emitters in the phaser range are activated, creating
a
holographic setting, similar to what a holodeck does. Personnel are
"turned
loose;" either independently or in an Away Team formation to explore
the setting
presented to them, and the security officer in charge will take notes
on the
performance of each person as they take cover, return fire, protect
each other,
and perform a variety of different scenarios. All personnel on an
Intrepid class
are tested every six months in phaser marksmanship.

Gym
Facilities:
Some degree of physical fitness is a requirement for Starfleet Officers
and all
starships provide some sort of facilities to maintain that aboard. On
Intrepid class vessels, these facilities are not overly
spacious, but well
outfitted and located on Deck 5. The facilities include variable weight
machines, isometric machines, and callisthenic machines and a sparring
ring
configured for Anbo-Jitsu but easily modified and/or expanded for other
practices. All equipment is equipped with the ability to variate
gravity for
those species that are physically biased toward higher or lower than
standard
gravity.

An
emergency
medical
kit is located in an easily visible location near the door to the
Gym.

The
crew mess
hall
serves double duty aboard the Intrepid class due to the
ship’s workhorse nature.
Located in the forward section of Deck 2, the Mess is equipped with a
two
mass-use food replicators with an extensive recipe listing from over
two hundred
worlds. Eating accommodations are provided by a slew of tables and
chairs.

The
crew Mess
serves as
access to the Captain’s personal dining room.

Aft
Lounge:
At the rearmost part of the secondary hull on Deck 11 sits the aft
lounge, a
crew recreation area. The Aft Lounge has a battery of recreational
games and
assorted "stuff.” 3-D chess, octagonal billiards tables, and
a storage center
with more eclectic games such as Plak-tow can be found in the mess hall.

General
Overview:
Located in the aft dorsal portion of the engineering section, the Main
Shuttlebay is the primary port for entrance and egress, as well as
management of
auxiliary craft and shuttles. The Main Shuttlebay is managed by a team
of
Helmsmen/Pilots, Engineers and Technicians, and Operations personnel
that are
based on the Flight Operations office under the
supervision of the Flight
Control Officer.

Inward
from
the main
shuttlebay is a secondary storage/maintenance area behind huge inner
airlock
doors. This secondary area is almost as large as the Main Shuttlebay
and is
commonly referred to as Shuttlebay 2.

Developed
in
the
mid-2360s, the Type-18 Shuttlepod is somewhat of a departure from the
traditional layout for ships of its size. In response to the
growing threat of
conflicts with various galactic powers bordering or near to the
Federation, this
shuttlepod was designed to handle more vigorous assignments that still
fell into
the short-range roles of a shuttlepods. Even with her parent
vessel under
attack, the Type-18 was designed to function in battle situations and
could even
be used as an escape vehicle should the need arise. Lacking a
warp core, the
pod is a poor choice for travel beyond several million
kilometers. Ships of
this type are seeing limited deployment on various border patrol and
defensive
starship classes, including the Defiant-, Sabre-, and Steamrunner-class.

The
Type-6
Personnel
Shuttlecraft is currently in widespread use throughout Starfleet, and
is only
recently being replaced by the slightly newer Type-8 Shuttle of similar
design.
The Uprated version of this vessel is considered to be the ideal choice
for
short-range interplanetary travel, and its large size makes it suitable
to
transport personnel and cargo over these distances. A
short-range transporter
is installed onboard, allowing for easy beam out of cargo and crew to
and from
their destination. Atmospheric flight capabilities allow for
this shuttle type
to land on planetary surfaces. Ships of this type are
currently in use aboard
virtually every medium to large sized starship class, as well as aboard
stations
and Starbases.

The
Type-6 is
perhaps
the most successful shuttle design to date, and its overall structure
and
components are the foundations upon which the Type-8, -9, and -10
spaceframes
are based.

Major
technological
advancements in the 2370’s allowed for further upgrades to be
made to the engine
systems aboard shuttlecraft. These upgrades make this craft
more capable of
long-range spaceflight and, like its starship counterparst, no longer
damages
subspace.

The
Type-9
Personnel
Shuttle is a long-range craft capable of traveling at high warp for
extended
periods of time due to new advances in variable geometry warp
physics. Making
its debut just before the launch of the Intrepid-class, this shuttle
type is
ideal for scouting and recon missions, but is well suited to perform
many
multi-mission tasks. Equipped with powerful Type-VI phaser
emitters, the
shuttle is designed to hold its own ground for a longer period of
time.
Comfortable seating for four and moderate cargo space is still achieved
without
sacrificing speed and maneuverability. As is standard by the
2360’s, the
shuttle is equipped with a medium-range transporter and is capable of
traveling
through a planet’s atmosphere. With its ability to
travel at high-warp speeds,
the Type-9 has been equipped with a more pronounced deflector dish that
houses a
compact long-range sensor that further helps it in its role as a
scout. The
Type-9 is now being deployed throughout the fleet and is especially
aiding
deep-space exploratory ships with its impressive abilities.

Short
of a
full-fledged
transport ship, the Type-9A Cargo Shuttle is the primary shuttle of
choice for
cargo runs at major Starfleet facilities. Originally
developed by the ASDB team
stationed at Utopia Planitia, the 9A served as cargo vessel that
carried
components from the surface of Mars to the facilities in
orbit. While able to
travel at warp velocities, the 9A is somewhat slow at sub-light speeds,
especially when carrying large amounts of cargo. The front of
the shuttle is
divided by a wall with a closable hatch, allowing for the aft area to
be opened
to the vacuum of space. The 9A also has the ability to carry
one Sphinx Workpod
in the aft area. A medium-range transporter and atmospheric
flight capabilities
allow it to easily complete its tasks. While rarely seen
stationed aboard all
but the largest starships, the Type-9A is a common site at any large
Starfleet
facility.

In
response
to the need
to transporter ground troops into areas heavily shielded, a variant
designated
the Type-9B was designed and is capable of carrying 40 troops and their
equipment to the surface of a planet or interior of a space
station. This
variant has seen limited service onboard frontline ships, most notably
the
Steamrunner-class starship.

Major
technological
advancements in the 2370’s allowed for further upgrades to be
made to the engine
systems aboard shuttlecraft. These upgrades make this craft
more capable of
long-range spaceflight and, like its starship counterparts, no longer
damages
subspace.

The
Work Bee
is a
capable stand-alone craft used for inspection of spaceborne hardware,
repairs,
assembly, and other activates requiring remote manipulators.
The fully
pressurized craft has changed little in design during the past 150
years,
although periodic updates to the internal systems are done
routinely. Onboard
fuel cells and microfusion generators can keep the craft operational
for 76.4
hours, and the life-support systems can provide breathable air,
drinking water
and cooling for the pilot for as long as fifteen hours. If
the pilot is wearing
a pressure suit or SEWG, the craft allows for the operator to exit
while
conducting operations. Entrance and exit is provided by the
forward window,
which lifts vertically to allow the pilot to come and go.

A
pair of
robotic
manipulator arms is folded beneath the main housing, and allows for
work to be
done through pilot-operated controls. In addition, the Work
Bee is capable of
handling a cargo attachment that makes it ideal for transferring cargo
around
large Starbase and spaceborne construction facilities. The
cargo attachment
features additional microfusion engines for supporting the increased
mass.

Mounted
on
the
underside of the saucer section, the Aerowing rests in a recessed
hatchway just
aft of the ventral sensor array. The craft serves in the capacity of a
runabout
aboard larger ships. In fact the Aerowing’s technology and
design is based, in
large part, on the Danube class runabout.

The
Aerowing
provides a
large secondary craft, long-range travel, and the protection, armament,
and
sensor capabilities beyond that of a standard auxiliary shuttle.
Facilities
include two sleeping bunks and a standard runabout passenger cabin. A
replicator
and flight couches provide for the needs of the passengers and a
two-person
transporter allows for beaming of personnel or cargo when needed.
Atmospheric
flight capabilities allow this shuttle type to land on planetary
surfaces.

Flight
Operations
are all operations that relate directly to the function of the starship
itself,
which include power generation, starship upkeep, environmental systems,
and any
other system that is maintained and used to keep the vessel space
worthy.

Primary
Mission
Operations
entail all tasks assigned and directed from the Main Bridge, and
typically
require full control and discretion over ship navigation and ship's
resources.

Secondary
Mission
operations are
those operations that are not under the direct control of the Main
Bridge, but
do not impact Primary Mission Operations. Some examples of secondary
mission
operations include long-range cultural, diplomatic, or scientific
programs run
by independent or semi-autonomous groups aboard the starship.

Seeking
out
new worlds
and new civilizations is central to all that Starfleet stands for. As
something
of a younger sister of the Galaxy class, Intrepids turn their
impressive
technology and speed to the business of pushing back the veil of the
unknown.

Mission
for
an
Intrepid class starship may fall into one of the following
categories, in
order of her strongest capable mission parameter to her weakest mission
parameter.

Deep-space
Exploration: The Intrepid class
is equipped for long-range interstellar
survey and mapping missions, as well as the ability to explore a wide
variety of planetary classifications.

Ongoing
Scientific Investigation: A Intrepid
class starship is equipped
with scientific laboratories and a wide variety of sensor probes and
sensor arrays, as well as the state-of-the-art dorsal subspace sensor
assembly; giving her the ability to perform a wide variety of ongoing
scientific investigations.

Contact with
Alien Lifeforms: Pursuant to
Starfleet Policy regarding the discovery of new life, facilities aboard
the Intrepid class include a variety of exobiology
and xenobiological suites, and a small cultural anthropology staff,
allowing for limited deep-space life form study and interaction.

Federation
Policy and Diplomacy: A Intrepid
class starship’s secondary role is the performance of
diplomatic operations on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation
of Planets. These missions may include transport of Delegates, hosting
of negotiations or conferences aboard in the vessel’s
Conference Hall, courier for important people and/or items, and first
contact scenarios.

Emergency/Search
and Rescue: Typical
Missions include answering standard Federation emergency beacons,
extraction of Federation or Non-Federation citizens in distress,
retrieval of Federation or Non-Federation spacecraft in distress.
Planetary evacuation is not feasible.

Tactical/Defensive
Operations: Though not
designed primarily for battle, the Intrepid class –like all
Starfleet vessels– is designed to be resilient and ably armed.

The
normal
flight and
mission operations of the Intrepid class starship
are conducted in
accordance with a variety of Starfleet standard operating rules,
determined by
the current operational state of the starship. These operational states
are
determined by the Commanding Officer, although in certain specific
cases, the
Computer can automatically adjust to a higher alert status.

External
Support Mode - State of
reduced activity that exists when a ship is docked at a starbase or
other support facility.

Reduced Power
Mode - This
protocol is invoked in case of a major failure in spacecraft power
generation, in case of critical fuel shortage, or in the event that a
tactical situation requires severe curtailment of onboard power
generation.

During
Cruise Mode, the
ship’s operations are run on three 8-hour shifts designated
Alpha, Beta, and
Gamma. Should a crisis develop, it may revert to a four-shift system of
six
hours to keep crew fatigue down.

Intrepid
class vessels
are capable of atmospheric entry and egress with equipment worked into
the
physical design of the starship. Each vessel is equipped with
anti-gravity
generators as well as impulse and RCS lifters strategically placed at
the mass
and stress points on the bottom portion of the engineering section.

During
Blue
Alert, the Intrepid class lowers the projection
sphere of the deflector shields and
assumes an angle of attack perpendicular to the angular rotation of the
planetary body if it has an atmosphere. This allows the
vessel’s shape to work
as a lifting body with air traveling under the broad and flat saucer
and under
the wing-like nacelle struts. Once in the atmosphere, navigation is
controlled
with RCS thrusters and use of the aft impulse engines.

It
is
standard
procedure to lower the landing gear at approximately 2500m above the
Landing
Zone (LZ) surface, regardless of LZ altitude. This minimizes the drag
on the
vessel. Once prepared for landing, Aft impulse engines are shut down
and four
vents on the ventral hull are opened.

These
vents
cover the
ventral impulse thrust plates. Impulse engines in miniature, the thrust
plates
serve only to provide lift to the Intrepid classas
the
anti-gravity generators effectively reduce its weight. The RCS
thrusters provide
final maneuvering power.

Once
on the
ground,
crew or equipment can be transported to the surface from the vessel, or
use the
ship’s turbolift system that connects to channels inside the
landing struts
themselves, and open out near the ‘feet’.

Though
much
of a modern
starship’s systems are automated, they do require regular
maintenance and
upgrade. Maintenance is typically the purview of the Engineering, but
personnel
from certain divisions that are more familiar with them can also
maintain
specific systems.

Maintenance of onboard systems is almost constant, and varies in
severity.
Everything from fixing a stubborn replicator, to realigning the
Dilithium matrix
is handled by technicians and engineers on a regular basis. Not all
systems are
checked centrally by Main Engineering; to do so would occupy too much
computer
time by routing every single process to one location. To alleviate
that, systems
are compartmentalized by deck and location for checking. Department
heads are
expected to run regular diagnostics of their own equipment and report
anomalies
to Engineering to be fixed.

Systems
DiagnosticsAll key
operating systems and subsystems aboard the shiphave
a number of
preprogrammed diagnostic software and procedures for use when actual or
potential malfunctions are experienced. These various diagnostic
protocols are
generally classified into five different levels, each offering a
different
degree of crew verification of automated tests. Which type of
diagnostic is used
in a given situation will generally depend upon the criticality of a
situation,
and upon the amount of time available for the test procedures.

Level 1 Diagnostic - This refers to the
most comprehensive type of system
diagnostic, which is normally conducted on ship's systems. Extensive
automated
diagnostic routines are performed, but a Level 1 diagnostic requires a
team of
crew members to physically verify operation of system mechanisms and to
system
readings, rather than depending on the automated programs, thereby
guarding
against possible malfunctions in self-testing hardware and software.
Level 1
diagnostics on major systems can take several hours, and in many cases,
the
subject system must be taken off-line for all tests to be performed.

Level 2 Diagnostic - This refers to a
comprehensive system diagnostic
protocol, which, like a Level 1, involves extensive automated routines,
but
requires crew verification of fewer operational elements. This yields a
somewhat
less reliable system analysis, but is a procedure that can be conducted
in less
than half the time of the more complex tests.

Level 3 Diagnostic - This protocol is
similar to Level 1 and 2
diagnostics but involves crew verification of only key mechanics and
systems
readings. Level 3 diagnostics are intended to be performed in ten
minutes or
less.

Level 4 Diagnostic - This automated
procedure is intended for use
whenever trouble is suspected with a given system. This protocol is
similar to
Level 5, but involves more sophisticated batteries of automated
diagnostics. For
most systems, Level 4 diagnostics can be performed in less than 30
seconds.

Level 5 Diagnostic - This automated
procedure is intended for routine use
to verify system performance. Level 5 diagnostics, which usually
require less
than 2.5 seconds, are typically performed on most systems on at least a
daily
basis, and are also performed during crisis situations when time and
system
resources are carefully managed.

Pursuant
to
Starfleet
General Policy and Starfleet Medical Emergency Operations, at least 25%
of the
officers and crew of the Intrepid class are
cross-trained to serve as
Emergency Medical Technicians, to serve as triage specialists, medics,
and other
emergency medical functions along with non-medical emergency operations
in
engineering or tactical departments. This set of policies was
established due to
the wide variety of emergencies, both medical and otherwise, that a
Federation
Starship could respond to on any given mission.

The
Mess Hall
on Deck 2
can serve as emergency intensive care wards, with an estimated online
timeframe
of 30 minutes with maximum engineering support. Cargo Bays 1 and 2 also
provide
additional space for emergency triage centers and recovery overflow.
Portable
field emitters can be erected for contagion management.

Pursuant
to
new Medical
Protocols, all Medical Facilities are equipped with holo-emitters for
the
emergency usage of the Emergency Medical Hologram System. Starships of
this type
were the first to carry the EMH Mark-I. Standard refit and rotation
keeps their
EMH up to date with the latest builds.

Pods
are
located on
almost all decks. Each pod can support a total of eighty-six
person-days
(meaning, one person can last eighty-six days, two can last for
forty-three,
etc.). Two pods are reserved for the top four officers in the chain of
command
on the Intrepid class, because they are the last four to leave the
ship. These
are located on Deck 1, just aft of the bridge. As the number of
experienced
Captains dwindles in Starfleet, the notion of a Captain going down with
his ship
has been abolished. If the ship is abandoned, the top four officers in
the chain
of command will wait until everyone else is off the ship, opt to arm
the
auto-Destruct (not always necessary, but there if needed), and then
leave in the
two escape pods. The current lifepods are called ASRVs, or autonomous
survival
and recovery vehicles. The first group of these was delivered in 2337
to the
last Renaissance class starship, the USS Hokkaido.

In
situations
when the
base vessel is not near a habitable system, up to four ASRVs may be
linked
together in a chain at junction ports to share and extend resources.

In
extreme
circumstances or where additional capability is required, the entire
bridge
module of the Intrepid class starship can be ejected and maneuver away
on it’s
own thrusters. Since this is more time consuming than ejecting pods,
this
procedure is reserved only for situations where time is not critical.

Rescue
and
Evacuation
Operations for an Intrepid classstarship
will fall into one of
two categories - abandoning the starship, or rescue and evacuation from
a
planetary body or another starship.

Rescue
Scenarios

Resources
are
available
for rescue and evacuation to Intrepid class
starship include:

The ability
to transport 300 persons per hour to the ship via personnel
transporters.

The
availability of the 2 Type-9 shuttlecraft to be on hot standby for
immediate launch, with all additional shuttlecraft available for launch
in an hours notice. Total transport capabilities of these
craft vary due to differing classifications but an average load of 50
persons can be offloaded per hour from a standard orbit to an M Class
planetary surface.

Capacity to
support up to 500 evacuees with conversion of the shuttlebays and cargo
bays to emergency living quarters.

Ability to
convert the Mess Hall to an emergency triage and medical center.

Resources
available for
abandon-ship scenarios from an Intrepid class
starship include:

The ability
to transport 500 persons per hour from the ship via personnel and
emergency transporters.

The
availability of the 2 Type-9 shuttlecraft to be on hot standby for
immediate launch, with all additional craft available for launch in an
hours notice. Total transport capabilities of these craft
vary due to differing classifications but an average load of 75 persons
can be offloaded per hour from a standard orbit to an M Class planetary
surface.

Protocols
also include the use of Lifeboats. Each Intrepid class vessel carries
48 of the 6-person variants, which measures 5.6 meters tall and 6.2
meters along the edge of the rectangle. Each Lifeboat can survive
longer if they connect together in "Gaggle Mode.”

Environmental Suits are
available for evacuation directly into a
vacuum. In such a scenario, personnel can evacuate via airlocks, the
flight bay, or through exterior turbolift couplings. Environmental
suits are available at all exterior egress points, along with survival
lockers spaced throughout the habitable portions of the starship.
Standard air supply in an EV suit is 4 hours.

Though
rare,
starships
occasionally face the horrible concept of a warp core breech. As the
primary
power source for a starship, the explosive power of a warpcore far
surpasses the
superstructure and structural integrity field strengths and most often
ends in
the complete destruction of the starship and anything within a 20km
blast
radius.

Modern
starships have
been equipped for this possibility and have the capability to eject
their
warpcore. The Intrepid class has an ejection port on the forward side
of the
ventral engineering hull. Magnetic rails inside the channel accelerate
the core
once disengaged from the ship and ‘fires’ it as far
as 2000 meters away from the
ship. The ship then moves away from the core as fast as possible under
impulse
power.

Should
the
core not go
critical, the Intrepid class can recover its
warpcore by use of tractor
beams and careful manipulation.

Secondary
Core: Emergency
ejection of the backup warp core is all but unheard of since the core
is never
brought online in its storage slot. When in use in the primary core
tube,
ejection is identical.

Well
that
question has
been hotly debated with people possessing far more time for debate than
I
possess. The number of torpedoes mentioned on screen was just over
thirty I
believe, with people taking the time to count them by episode and
coming up with
a figure that surpasses that number.

The
most
obvious
solution is that Voyager must have facilities aboard to produce more,
at least
the casings if not the warheads. Plus, given the size, other
technological
levels, and general armament of the class, I thought 50+ torps seemed
more
reasonable.

She’s
packed to the
gills inside with Shuttles eh?

Absolutely
not. I know
it’s a popular joke, but given the parameters of the show,
you can hardly fault
the producers for wanting shuttles to fly around in and blow up for the
sake of
drama. Currently her load out is seven shuttles, which is a respectable
amount
for a ship this size and the displayed size of her shuttlebays. It
might seem
heavy, but remember the “Shuttlebay 2” constantly
mentioned in the show? It’s a
bay equal to Shuttlebay 1, but behind it. Given the space seen in the
first, I
have no problem conceiving an almost equal number of shuttles being
stored in
the inner bay.

Does
it use
Bio-Neural Gelpaks?

Absolutely.
The
Intrepid class is the first of the advanced ships to utilize the
Bio-Neural
Gelpak technology. These packs are distributed throughout the ship to
speed
processing with ‘fuzzy logic’ thought done by
engineered neural fibers.

How
come the
Intrepid can land?

In that episode “Demon” I believe, we saw the
Intrepid class land on it’s four
little teeny legs (she looked so cute :). The Intrepid class is large,
of
course, but atmospheric flight is more than within it’s
capabilities. Of course,
it’s akin to an aircraft carrier taking off and landing and
is not something
done lightly.

Does
it carry
Borg
tech?

No,
and
thankfully so.
I don’t personally like to see Trek ships glowing green :).
No, the Borg stuff
stays with Voyager; with the exception of whatever sensor/computer
upgrades went
into Astrometrics, which is detailed above.

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: A Call to Duty. Use of these specifications is
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